**warning: contains implied abuse themes and domestic violence***

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with the Twilight Franchise.

Prologue

December 31, 1989 …

She laid her exhausted eighteen year old frame against the tribal clinic bed. Her hair was plastered to her face from the physical exertion of child birthing. Nobody showed up to hold her hand or tell her she was doing a good job. They washed their hands of her months ago. It was her and her son against the world; they didn't need anybody else.

The sky flashed with colorful lights as the magic of firecrackers exploded on the midnight hour. Tears swelled in her eyes, pushing to spill over the brim. She sniffled and wiped the salty traitors on the back of her hand. Now, was not the time for weakness. Her son needed her and she had to be strong to do what had to be done.

A light tap on the door cut through the silent room. Her tired body tensed and her eyes blazed with fury as she pierced her visitor. She knew the nurse went and phoned him, telling him the good news. What shouldn't have surprised her was his timely arrival. After all, he'd been waiting for today.

He stood solid by her bedside with not a trace of emotion on his stoic face. His cold stare regarded her without an ounce of sympathy, his powerful hands clenched at his sides. She stiffened her spine and held as much ground as she could in her drained state. Dread chilled her skin as she waited for the executioner to drop the blade. The dead eyes staring back at her told her more than any words ever spoken.

Fear prickled her flesh as a chair screeched across the linoleum floor. Her eyes jumped back and forth like a trapped animal. She licked her lips in nervous contempt and blurted out, "I'm leaving." His eyes tightened at the edges to pinch his face with the first signs of emotion. He took a deep breath and drilled her with his eyes.

Blood pounded in her ears as her anxiety punched through her chest. "I won't tell anyone, I swear," she said with a nervous lick to her dry lips.

He shook his head as he straightened in the chair. "I can't allow it." His words slammed the bars on her thoughts of freedom. "It's important the boy remain in La Push."

Her panicked laugh was meant to intimidate a less powerful opponent. She shook her head and gathered herself. "My son and I will be leaving La Push as soon as I'm able to leave this bed," she said with a firm tone. His unexpected agitated shift caught her off guard as she balked back into the sheets.

He cleared his throat before he addressed her. "You will not be leaving with or without the boy. The Spirits charged you with a duty more important than you'll ever know. You and the boy will stay as planned."

Her cheeks flushed with anger, but his parting words made her blood run cold. "You have nothing to fear from me as long as you keep our secret."

A/N: Thank you to pre-reader and beta: Silverfires and Bran for all of your hard work on this and all of my other stories! This story is posted on two different websites, but I assure you I am me and this is my story!